Mastectomy brassieres and garments for same



June 3, 1969 E. s. KEOWN 3,447,533

MASTECTOMY BRASSIERES AND GARMENTS FOR SAME Filed Oct. 7, 1966 Sheet orz FIG. I FlG.Z

INVENTOR ELSI E S. KEOWN BY a; 4.

ATTORN E. s. KEOWN 3,447,538

MASTECTOMY BRASSIE-RES AND GARMENTS FOR SAME June 3, 1969 Sheet 2 of4Filed Oct. 7, 1966 FIG. 5

FIG. 4

INVENTOR. E LSIE s. KEOWN B l-difiyJ- ATTORNE June 3, 1969 E. s. KEOWN3,447,538

MASTECTOMY BRASSIERES AND GARMENTS FOR SAME Filed Oct. 7. 1966 Sheet 5of 4 INVENTOR. ELSIE S. KEOWN BY Am 1* ATTORNEYS.

E. s. KEOWN 3,447,538

MASTECTQMY BRASSIERES AND GARMENTS FOR SAME June 3, 1969 Sheet of4 FiledOct. '7, 1966 FIG.

INVENTOR.

ELSIE s. Keovm ATToR?3'.

United States Patent US. Cl. 128-478 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA garment formed of soft material for the use of patients who haveexperienced a single mastectomy or a second or a complete mastectomy.The innermost element is in the nature of an undershirt to the frontface of which brassiere elements are secured. The rear face fits thepatients hack snugly as an undershirt. Secured to the front of thisfirst element is a layer of goods in the nature of a swing on which ismounted the false breastforms attached only at the shoulder, side andarm seams. The outer element or false front concealing the breastformsand brassiere elements is sewed to the above named first element on allsides except the bottom.

This invention relates to brassieres and garments for the use of personswho have sufliered the loss of one or both breasts.

It is known that persistent discomfort, even pain, is experienced bysuch patients when they undertake to hang clothing or brassieres fromtheir shoulders over areas which have been subjected to surgicalmastectomy.

Not only does this invention serve to avoid discomfort and pain to theuser who has sufiiered a mastectomy but the improvement more nearlyapproaches a natural result in both appearance and feel to the end thatit provides both comfort and psychological ease of mind for the wearer.

These effects may be understood when the following factors areconsidered.

It is generally recognized that a surgical operation may leave thepatient in a state of mental and physical shock, quite possibly notobvious either to the patient or those associated with the patient. Thepatient is naturally inclined to reconstruct her physical being and toseek methods of providing brassieres and to fill out brassierestemporarily with such material as sanitary pads and absorbent cotton. Ithas been suggested that small foam rubber products be used but even sucharticles do not make up for the gap left by the removal of the ordinarybust line of the well developed woman. As an alternate step, plasticforms filled with liquid have been recommended and in lieu of the latterit has been proposed to use plastic balloon-type brassieres which may beinflated. All such substitutes involve little more than a substituteconventional brassiere.

When a radical mastectomy surgery has been performed, not only is thebreast removed but also the muscle area which served to support thebreast. The operation leaves the patient with a sunken breast on oneside or a gap above the brassiere substitute. In addition, the operationleaves the shoulder and arm areas somewhat tender, and the use ofbrassiere straps including those of the elastic type frequently causediscomfort analogous to a neuralgic and rheumatic condition.

An active housewife, after a single mastectomy operation, is inclined togo without the services of a brassiere all day while working in order toavoid this shoulder and arm pain, but the resultant effect is notsatisfactory because the remaining breast, being without support of thebreast which has been removed, becomes painful. The operation has pulledthe skin tight against the ribs and "Ice it does not give or yield withthe result that active arm movements create a constant pulling orstretch on the skin and flesh of the remaining breast, especially whenthat breast is not adequately supported. So an active housewife doingthe many activities of her daily duties stands an extremely limitedchance of being free of pain. Further, the business of attending to suchduties and the feeling of being dependent on her depleted physical beingcauses a measure of psychological pain.

A patient who has suffered a single mastectomy and subsequentlyexperiences a second or a complete mastectomy runs the full gamut ofunfortunate experience as regards discomfort, pain, and the unhappyexperience of endeavoring to rebuild her original contours. It is thepurpose of the present invention to provide a garment which will avoiddiscomfort to the wearer and which will, to the largest extent possible,serve to bring back to normal outlines the figure which may have been anelement of satisfaction to the patient before her operations.

As a result of the present invention, there is provided a garment ofsoft material. The innermost element is in the nature of an undershirt,to the front face of which brassiere elements are secured. The rear facehangs down the patients back. Secured to the front of this first elementis a layer of goods in the nature of a swing attached only at theshoulder, side and arm seams. This permits the undergarment with thebrassiere features to remain snug to the body. The outer swing elementis sewed to the above named first element on all sides except thebottom, thus allowing freedom within the garment and movement withoutdragging the inner garment away from the body. Preferably the firstelement which is adapted to fit the patients body should be of softnylon tricot. The outer front slip type should likewise be of such softmaterial although the requirements of a swing covering is not soessentially of such soft material.

With the foregoing features in consideration, the invention will bedescribed in detail and claimed in the following specification andclaims when considered in connection with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a conventional device worn by a patient who hassuffered a left single mastectomy showing the loose fit of the shoulderstrap;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the patient shown in FIG. 1 illustrating theresult often produced when the breast, left for example, and supportingmuscle have been removed, showing the characteristic crease in thegarment which is not filled out by a conventional brassiere;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the garment shown in FIG. 1 showing the loosefitting at the left shoulder, there being no breast to hold the strapdown.

The views illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show faults characteristic offormer constructions which are corrected by features disclosed in FIGS.4 et seq. In short, the views of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 do not show theimprovements provided by this invention.

FIG. 4 shows the front of a completed garment, the front hiding theinterior portion and the false breast forms;

FIG. 5 shows the front of the inner garment, also shoulder adjustmentswith center and side pieces sewed in place for attaching sides of breastforms;

FIG. 6 shows the back and side of the garment shown in FIG. 5 with theside seam set toward the back to allow the breast form to fill in themissing fatty area along the sides and under the arm;

FIG. 7 shows the same structure illustrated in FIG. 6 but with the brestform in place;

FIG. 8 shows a breast form on a liner for plain mastectomy, the extendedsides of the liner allowing side to side adjustment of a breast form ona garment;

FIG. 9 shows the same construction for use after a radical mastectomy;

FIG. 10 shows a back view with reinforcing strips on an extension whichcan be cut off to proper length at the time of being fitted;

FIG. 11 shows a vertical sectional view of a breast form on a liner foruse after a radical mastectomy;

FIG. 12 illustrates the diiference in the removal of flesh for the plainand radical mastectomies;

FIG. 13 shows how the garment of this invention is adapted to fill inthe areas after plain and radical mastectomies;

FIG. 14 shows an inner support brassiere for a remaining breast after asingle mastectomy;

FIG. 15 shows how an inner support brassiere fits through the bias cutof the inner front front of the garment, the position of the innersupport brassiere being indicated by the dotted line;

FIG. 16 shows an outside view of the inner support brassiere laid outflat;

FIG. 17 shows the support cup which is partially shown in the finishedsupport brassiere, the sling styling providing firm support to theremaining breast; and

FIG. 18 is an inside view showing the bottom of the cup lined withtricot for comfort.

In the foregoing, the various figures of the drawing have been brieflyidentified. The following detailed description is provided withreference characters designating the different structural details ofboth the garment and its brassiere features.

It will be understood that FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show recognized faults ofconventional brassiere devices intended to provide assistance forpersons who have suffered a single mastectomy and which faults areremedied by the use of the device of this present invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, FIG. 4 shows the front 1 of agarment which is intended to be fitted more or less loosely'and to hangfrom shoulder straps. This garment should be made of extremely soft andyieldable material such as nylon tricot. The front piece 1 which is inthe nature of a slip is secured to the brassiere supporting structure bybeing sewed at the upper end of the shoulder straps and to the sides aswill be explained.

The body engaging portion of this garment is indicated in FIGS. '5, 6and 7 as comprising a form-fitting garment which may be consideredanalogous to an undershirt having a front wall 2 and a rear wall 2.adapted to enclose a patients bust and upper body portion. This garment2 and 2 should be made of the same soft material as is used in the frontpanel 1. The shoulder straps 3- which join the front panel 2 and theback portion 2 are fairly broad and are adapted to receive straps 4extending from whatever brassiere elements are carried by the frontpanel 2. In FIG. 5 side pieces 5 are sewed in place for attaching thesides of breast forms after shoulder adjustment of the straps is made.Dotted diagonal lines 2 indicate the approximate position of a bias cutfor the reception of either right or left supporting brassiere elementsto go through. Such cuts should not be made at the factory but should bepostponed until the garment has been bought and the patient fitted withit. Nylon tricot is recognized as not subject to raveling and when cuton the bias presents extremely good resistance to wear. If desired, thisfront panel 2 may also carry a vertical strip 2 which may serve for thesupplemental attachment of breast forms. It will thus be understood thatthe panel 2, being the equivalent of the front of an undershirt,supports all of the essential brassiere features. If desired, a slidablefastener 6 may be installed in the back panel 2 to assist loosening ortightening the garment so that the garment may be readily secured orremoved and adapted to conform to the contours of the patients figure.

It will be observed by reference to FIG. 6 that the side seam is setsomewhat toward the back or at least under 4 the rear side of the upperarm. This is to permit the breast form to fill in the missing fatty areaalong the sides below the arm. The short slidable fastener 6 shown inFIGS. 6 and 7 may be lined on the inner side for comfort to the wearer.

FIG. 8 shows a form of brassiere breast form 7 mounted with extensiblepieces to adapt it for use for a plain mastectomy with the sides of theliner extended to permit side to side adjustment to the breast form. Theend pieces 7 are designed to be secured to the side pieces 5 shown inFIG. '5.

FIG. 9 shows a similar view of a breast form as used after a radicalmastectomy.

FIG. 10 shows a back view indicating the outline of a breast form on theforward side of the liner. The extension pieces 7 at the opposite endsmay be cut off to proper length at the time of fitting.

FIG. 12 illustrates the contrasting height and area affected by thesurgery of a plain and radical mastectomy.

FIG. 13 illustrates how the garment is applied to the areas treated inthe plain and radical mastectomie's. The height of the brassiere form isaimed at supplying the filling fort he muscle and flesh removed wherebythe incomplete area indicated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is built up again andthe patients outer garments will hang properly.

In FIG. 14 there is shown an inner support brassiere for a remainingbreast after a single mastectomy. This article is designed to be usedunder the inner garment which embraces both the front and back of thewearer. The brassiere extends over a single breast and is accompanied bymeans for securing it to a garment covering the area of the removedbreast. The means also has a band 8 extending around the waist and froman upper end adapted to be secured to a strap extending over theshoulder. Said band likewise extends downwardly diagonally across thechest line as at 8 and terminates below the opposite side of the bustportion in a broadened strap serving as a belt. The strap leads from theupper end of the brassiere and thence passes over the shoulder andextends down the back and is secured to the band 8 around the chestportion to :a point behind the back. The foregoing construction isadapted to be mounted under and through the slit in that portion of thegarment extending over the front of the bust and next to the skin of thewearer.

In FIG. 15, the bust element has widened the slit such as shown at 2 inFIG. 5 so that the edges of the slit are indicated at 2 in FIG. 15.

In FIG. 17 the support cup gives firm support to the remaining breastand this portion of the brassiere is not of tricot. The tricot 'band isdouble with a side stretch direction on the outside and the top to botomstretch on the inside so that the garment will be soft but firm enoughtnot to yield too much and lose its shape. Ordinary elastic wide shoulderstrap and side fasteners are used.

This invention provides an inner structure which encloses the bust,front and rear, and to the front face of which brassiere form elementsare mounted. This body hugging garment which is of extremely softyielding material such as nylon tricot is fortified by the use of afront panel also preferably of tricot which is secured at the top andsides to the front panel of the inner garment. In brief, this structureembodies a three fold set of panels secured to each other as described.

The use of the soft natural elasticity of nylon tricot for the garmentwhich embraces the wea-rers body and is in direct contact with the skinof the wearer enables it to stay close to the skin during such time asthe wearer leans over while wearing a dress cut nearly as low as thegarment. There is a tendency at this time for the neck portion ofdresses to fall away from the body. This tendency which may disclose thescars of a mastectomy is corrected by the use of the double plyconstruction of the front with the undergarment hugging the skin and theouter panel enclosing the front of the undergarment and brassierefittings. This outer panel is secured to the body hugging undergarmen'ton all sides except the bottom, thus allowing the shape freedom'withinthe garment to move without pulling the inner garment away from thebody.

The following optional modification may be put into effect if sodesired. In connection with a single mastectomy br-assiere, FIG. 14, thecup, reinforcements and strap are not necessarily of tricot on thesupporting side. The fabric used may be any sturdy woven nylon, Dacronor cotton since the tricot alone may not give support firm enough tohold the breast in position.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that this invention relates tothe use of an improved form of brassiere combined with a garment for usefollowing surgery of either or both breasts, and with or withoutadjoining muscle areas removed. The completed garment has threeseparable components, namely, the basic brassiere garment with means forattaching its other two components which comprise either a simulatedbreast on a liner and a breast supporting article or both right and leftsimulated breasts on liners.

The simulated breast is sewed to a fabric liner which extends justbeyond the simulated breast on either side and the top and havingattachments sewed in place on these extensions to correspond withextensions to receive attachments in the basic garment. It will beunderstood that when two of these forms are used they are attached toeach other at the center chest area and to the basic garment at the sideand top. When only one of the forms is used it is attached at the topand side with the center fastening common through the center simulatedbreast exeusion, the center reinforcing strip of the basic garment andthe band of the breast support article being secured after fitting hasbeen made for proper adjustment and alignment of these components.

The following description of the technique in making and mounting thebreast support article may assist the person making the product.

It will be understood from the foregoing and with respect to FIGS. 16,17 and 18 that the breast support article comprising a supporting cupand angular side extensions are supported by a double thickness offabric in the form of a band sewed around the perimeter of the cup andextension. The band starts at a point approxi- :mately three and onehalf inches beyond and below the point at which it engages the cuplocated over the center chest and is sewed along the edge of the cup toa point at the top of the cup where a wide elastic shoulder O strap isattached as at A. The band continues down the :side of the cup to apoint just beyond the side cup extension where it turns on asubstantially vertical band used as a hinge B, thence continues alongthe bottom of the cup to the starting point on the cup over the centerchest. At that point it first engages the cup, thus forming a sling typesupport around the cup. The sling type support band around the bottom ofthe cup, and the side and center extensions are all concealed within acontinuous and horizontal chest band of double ply soft fabric, startingat a point below the removed breast, its upper edge out at an :angle andjoining the brassiere cup at a point just above the starting point ofthe lower support band on the cup, thence following the contours of thelower edge of the cup and up the side seam of the cup, thence continuingaround the back and to the front starting point where it is secured withconventional and adjustable brassiere fasteners. Stitches are sewedthrough the chest band over the edges of the concealed hinge of thesupport band of the cup fixing it in place. The wide elastic shoulderstrap is attached to the inside of the top cup band in front continuingover the shoulders and terminating at a point within the double ply ofthe back portion of the chest band and sewed in place. The three andone-half inch extension of the cup band concealed in the front of thechest band is stitched in place at its end where it joins with theelastic of the brassiere fastener within the double ply at the start ofthe chest band.

The material shown in the center of FIG. 11 is Dacron polyesterfiberfil.

I claim:

1. In a surgical mastectomy brassiere garment, a multiple ply of softwoven goods extending from the shoulders downward and both in front andin back of the wearer, the ply in front and in contact with the body ofthe wearer carrying means to simulate a breast mounted on the frontsurface of said ply, the body hugging garment with the attached breastform serving to remain in place and resist falling away from the wearersbody when the wearer leans over forwardly.

2. In a surgical mastectomy brassiere garment of the type defined inclaim 1, a multiple ply of soft woven goods extending from the shouldersdownwardly and both in front and back of the wearer, the plies in frontincluding one in contact with the body of the wearer carrying means tosimulate a breast mounted on the front surface of the ply in contactwith the skin of the wearer, the body hugging garment with the attachedbreast form serving to remain in place and resist falling away from thewearers body when the wearer leans over forwardly.

3. In a surgical mastectomy brassiere garment of this type defined inclaim 1, a multiple ply of soft woven goods extending from the shouldersdownwardly and both in front and back of the wearer, the plies in frontincluding one in contact with the body of the wearer carrying means tosimulate a breast mounted on the front surface of the ply in contactwith the skin of the wearer, the several plies being held together atshoulder straps and sides, the body hugging garment with the attachedbreast form serving to remain in place and resist falling away from thewearers body when the wearer leans over forwardly.

4. In a surgical mastectomy brassiere garment of the type defined inclaim 1 and extending from the shoulders downwardly, a double ply ofsoft woven goods adapted to extend down the front of the wearer and aply of similar goods adapted to extend down the back of the wearer, theseveral plies being held together at shoulder straps, and means tosimulate both right and left breasts secured to each other and to thefront face of the rear ply down the front of the wearer, all of saidplies being secured to each other at the right and left sides of saidplies, the body hugging garment with the attached breast form serving toremain in place and resist falling away from the wearers body when thewearer leans over forwardly.

5. In a garment for use after a single surgical mastectomy of the typedefined in claim "1 and having a body hugging inner garment adapted toextend from the shoulders downwardly and formed of nylon tricot, abreast supporting article extending over a single breast, means forsecuring said supporting article over the area of the unremoved breastand having a band around the waist extending from an upper end adaptedto be secured to a strap extending over the shoulder and said bandextending downwardly diagonally across the chest line and terminatingadjacent the opposite side of the thorax portion in a broadened strapserving as a belt, said strap leading from the upper end of the garment,thence passing over the shoulder and extending down the back and beingsccured to the band around the thorax at a point behind the back, thebody hugging garment with the attached breast form serving to remain inplace and resist falling away from the wearers body when the wearerleans over forwardly.

6. In a garment for use after a single surgical mastectomy of the typedefined in claim :1 and having a body hugging inner garment adapted toextend from the shoulders downwardly and formed of nylon tricot, abreast supporting article extending over a single breast, means forsecuring said breast supporting article over the area of the unremovedbreast, and having a band around the waist extending from an upper endadapted to be secured to a strap extending over the shoulder and saidband extending downwardly diagonally across the chest line andterminating adjacent the opposite side of the thorax portion in abroadening strap serving as a belt, said strap leading from the upperend of the garment, thence passing over the shoulder and extending downthe back and being secured to the band around the thorax at a pointbehind the back, said garment supporting a simulated breast form on thearea of the removed breast and having a slit over the area of theunremoved breast to receive the breast support article, the body hugginggarment with the attached breast form serving to remain in place andresist falling away from the wearers body when the wearer leans overforwardly.

7. In a garment for use after a single surgical mastectomy having a bodyhugging inner garment adapted to extend from the wearers shouldersdownwardly and both in front and in back and formed of nylon tricot, abreast supporting article adapted to extend over a single breast, meansfor securing said breast supporting article over the area of theunremoved breast and having a band around the waist extending from anupper end adapted to be secured to a strap extending over the shoulderand said band extending downwardly diagonally across the chest line andterminating adjacent the opposite side of the thorax portion in abroadened strap serving as a belt, said strap leading from the upper endof the garment, thence passing over the shoulder and extending down theback and being secured to the band around the thorax at a point behindthe back, said garment supporting a simulated breast form on the area ofthe removed breast and having a slit over the area of the unremovedbreast to receive the breast support article, said garment being securedto said breast simulating article above the area covered by the singleremaining breast and said garment, and a breast form extending above theheight of the upper edge of the regular breast and brassiere line, thebody hugging garment with the attached breast form serving to remain inplace and resist falling away from the wearers body when the wearerleans over forwardly.

8. In a brassiere article for use after a single mastectomy of the typedefined in claim 1, a breast supporting cup extending over a singlebreast and having a band secured to said cup, said band extending fromsaid upper end adapted to be secured to a strap extending over theshoulder and said band extending downwardly diagonally across the chestline and terminating adjacent the opposite side of a thorax portion of abroadened strap serving as a belt, said cup being secured to said bandalong said diagonally extending portion, said strap leading from theupper end of the garment, thence passing over the shoulder and extendingdown the back and being secured to said band around the thorax at apoint behind the back, the body hugging garment with the attached breastform serving to remain in place and resist falling away from the wearersbody when the wearer leans over forwardly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,094,125 6/1963 Lewis 3-363,173,420 3/1965 Mazzoni et al 128478 3,348,241 10/1967 Dodds 336 ADELEM. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

